Kentucky Woman Allegedly ‘Squeezed’ by Garbage Truck Claw and Dumped in Alley, Lawsuit Says

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed by the family of a homeless Kentucky woman who was allegedly killed by a garbage truck during a ‘horrific’ cleanup incident. The family filed the lawsuit against the Louisville Metro Government following the incident. The victim's sister recently filed a complaint alleging “reckless conduct” and “gross negligence.”

The victim was identified as Tyra Adams, a 35-year-old woman, whose family said she was killed in February by a Louisville Metro garbage truck that scooped her up and compressed her while she was lying near a cardboard box under blankets. The incident occurred during an alley cleanup drive initiated by the government on February 12, 2026.

A new lawsuit filed by Adam’s family claims the truck’s hydraulic trash claw picked up Adams and compressed her body before dumping her in an alley without following proper safety protocols. The lawsuit accuses the city and sanitation workers of “gross negligence” and” reckless conduct” that ultimately killed Adam’s

“Louisville Metro knew or should have known that homeless individuals and vulnerable persons occupied alleys, debris piles, and cleanup locations targeted during Public Works operations,” the legal complaint states, according to Louisville Public Media (LPM).

The complaint alleges that two unnamed workers failed to follow the city’s written safety practices for operating the truck’s hydraulic claw, also known as a knuckle boom, according to LMP. “They physically picked her up by the claw, squeezed her, compressed her and dropped her,” the family’s attorney, Stephanie Rivas, said in April before filingthe lawsuit.

“The workers left her there to find her own help,” Rivas said.

According to the complaint, Adams was able to move her injured body to a nearby J&M Food Mart while suffering from fatal and “catastrophic” injuries. A store clerk called 911 after Adams entered the store, screaming for help. “The woman lying on the floor was turning colors no white woman should be,” the complaint cited a witness as saying.

Adams died from her injuries. A coroner’s report said she died of severe blunt force and compressional trauma. A video of the incident, captured by a surveillance camera at a nearby business, allegedly showed the operator of the mechanical arm step off the truck, walk toward the debris pile, return to the driver’s seat and then move the truck forward, according to the complaint.

The complaint alleges that the city’s sanitation workers breached their duty of care to Adams by failing to maintain a proper lookout, failing to inspect the work area, failing to keep personnel out of the operational zone, failing to use proper spotting procedures, failing to supervise employees and failing to enforce safety procedures.

In a statement, Rivas said the lawsuit alleges "multiple severe failures by the city and its operators" and seeks to uncover the full circumstances surrounding Adams’ death, including obtaining access to video evidence.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said after the incident that garbage crews were cleaning an alley when the truck collected debris and did not see Adams. Alley cleanups occur hundreds of times each day across the city, officials said.

Both Metro Public Works employees involved were placed on administrative leave.